How Merkel and Europe came to embrace Erdoğan

At the outbreak of the refugee crisis, Europe’s leaders insisted the region’s response be guided by the principles of solidarity and humanity. With no end to the refugee march in sight, those lofty aspirations are fading as the continent trades its modern European ideal for a 19th century German tactic: Realpolitik.

Only weeks ago, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was on his way to achieving pariah status in Europe. His assaults on the basic tenets of democracy, from a free press to minority rights, earned him censure across the region.

Ankara’s surprise decision in July to abandon the peace process with Kurds by attacking rebel forces drew sharp criticism from Berlin and other capitals.

The outrage was short-lived.

Last week, top EU officials, including Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Council President Donald Tusk, hosted Erdoğan for dinner in Brussels. The purpose was not to upbraid the Turkish leader, but to plead for his help.

Erdoğan’s transformation from pariah to partner underscores Europe’s desperation to find a quick solution to the refugee crisis. The EU remains deeply divided over how and whether to distribute the refugees among its members. The infrastructure for handling the influx in Germany, which has taken the lion’s share of refugees, is teetering on verge of collapse.

Turkey, the byway to Europe for the masses of Syrians, Iraqis and other refugees, is now viewed as the linchpin to bringing the crisis under control.

The only question now is the price Europe is willing to pay to win his help. As so often in Europe’s recent past, the answer depends largely on Germany. Angela Merkel will visit Erdoğan Turkey on Sunday in the hopes of closing a deal, the contours of which emerged at this European summit.

On the table is a mix of financial aid, up to €3 billion to help Turkey pay for the refugees, as well as other measures, including visa liberalization for Turks traveling to the EU.

Berlin has long resisted relaxing visa requirements over concerns that doing so would unleash an influx of Turks into Germany, which already has a sizeable Turkish population.

Still, the chancellor may have little choice. She faces a swelling backlash at home, where local communities have been overwhelmed by the large numbers of refugees. With as about 10,000 new arrivals every day, she needs a solution soon.

German officials acknowledge privately that Erdoğan has succeeded in manipulating the situation into his favor. They accuse the Turkish leader of fomenting the crisis by not enforcing Turkey’s border and allowing conditions for the refugees to deteriorate to such an extent that they were encouraged to leave. Turkey has taken in about 2.5 million refugees since the Syrian crisis began. Many live below the poverty line.

So far, the only criticism of Merkel’s overtures toward Turkey has come from the ranks of the opposition. Leaders from the Left party and Greens say the timing of Merkel’s trip, just two weeks before Turkish elections, will allow Erdoğan to use the German leader for his campaign.

“To pursue a deal with a government that persecutes journalists, Kurds and unions is declaration of humanitarian bankruptcy,” Sahra Wagenknecht, a senior Left party official, said during a Bundestag debate Thursday, adding that Merkel should cancel her trip.

Other critics question what steps Turkey will take to secure its border and worry that an EU-sponsored crackdown could lead to human rights abuses.

Despite such warnings, a deal with Erdoğan is a price both European and German leaders are willing to pay if it helps ease the crisis.

“Every German politician would be thankful for any measures that slow down the flow,” Benner said.

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ExLiberal

ZERO: the number of Muslims living in MERKEL’S HOUSE.
ZERO: the number of reasons to listen to what Merkel says on welcoming “refugees”

Posted on 10/17/15 | 1:15 AM CET

MartinArcher

Leverage its latest commitments or leverage its latest betrayal of the Kurds. Accepting refugees in order to avoid arming the Kurds so they can stop ISIS’s madness and refugees are not created bespeaks of a total loss of common sense and moral compass. Hello US and Germany.

Posted on 10/17/15 | 3:02 AM CET

MarkP

This is a grave and bad mistake by EU.

Turkey is a state sponsor of terrorism.

Turkish government provides ‘legit’ passports for its terrorists.
Remember those Uighurs, Chechens, Uzbeks and Turks exported to Asian countries?

Those terrorists can now be easily “exported” to the EU by Turkey.

Visa liberation for the Turks to EU is a HUGE mistake.

Posted on 10/17/15 | 3:24 AM CET

scarooni

This mess was started by the USA in Iraq and the Europeans went along with it. Now the Europeans not the Americans are paying for it. Lesson to Europe the USA poodle.

Posted on 10/17/15 | 3:50 AM CET

James

It seems to me the US really only has 1 or 2 true friends left in Europe, and that would be the UK at #1 and quite possibly France at #2. And if any other is to be found it might be Poland. With that in mind, I think it would be best if the US washed their hands of the rest of the Euro. Merkel has turned out to be a looney tune, Italy is in bed with Russia and Turkey is not even in the ballpark. The Euro has become a waste of time and resources for the US. Its time to pull out and allow the EU to start wearing big boy pants.

Posted on 10/17/15 | 4:34 AM CET

Jake

Merkel, now she is one smart lady. But R.T. Erdogan is a maestro in politics both domestic and international. For him, a “pariah status in Europe” would be welcome news for it would make inroads for him eastward, but everyone knows that’s not true about him; it’s a form of wishful thinking for his opponents and enemies. Like the US, Europe is in fact economically bankrupt as a whole, except in certain respects, which makes Europe and the US extremely unstable both socially and otherwise; in a nutshell, this is due to unequal distribution and management of wealth. Europe has been morally bankrupt since its inception, for it worships a manufactured made to order belief system. Turkey is not anywhere near that bad, because its belief system is logicaly anchored in reality and the country has always invested in small business, so its steady, dependable, predictable and largely immune to global economic fluctuations. So who needs who? Erdogan has turned Turkey around 360 degrees to the right and center in politics, especially from Euro-US dependence economically and militarily to almost a level of complete independence inside out. He is principled and devout and never takes a punch lying down. A dictator? Hardly! Just a Turk with a lot of nerve and a jaw added to it! He has the leftists, communists, and sensationalist journalists (idiots and imbeciles!) on the ropes and out of breath. Good, “they” were the dictators in Turkey for the past 80 years! Now they’re getting a taste of their own medicine a little bit, and they don’t like it! Well, too bad! And, finally, Erdogan kicked them dirty Kurds right in the butt and made them irrelevant as they should be. Those ungrateful bums! Erdogan’s star has been on the rise and will shine until he is good and ready to leave his legacy to someone of his caliber. So, overall, Turkey has changed for the better because of him. And Turkey is a regional power now and will be an instrument for “good” in the future. Friends, you can count on it! Enemies, get used to it you jerks you!

Posted on 10/17/15 | 7:07 AM CET

Thucydides

Concerning this supposed deal, all signs point in the direction of failure; carrot without stick is a losing proposition.

Posted on 10/17/15 | 10:21 AM CET

Nick the Greek

How difficult is it for Europe to protect it’s land and maritime border(s) with Turkey ?

Is it money well spent – to award Turkey with €3 billiion. This money could have paid for a permanent Naval presence, to man the seas between Europe and Turkey on 24/7 basis.

In accordance with the constitutional amendments of 2007, the 2014 election was the first time that the president was elected directly, rather than by the parliament. And the the Kurds ?????Remember EU

BIG PROBLEM:Turkey’s big problem is the polarisation between the secularists and the Islamists. The secularists big mistake is to believe that you can have an entirely laicist government. You can’t. Islam is too powerful in Turkey.

Posted on 10/18/15 | 2:09 AM CET

ironwoker

Merkel suddenly accepted that Turkey can be a much better “filter” in the path of refugees. Of course at a price, Erdogan is no stupid. Kinda disappointing coming from “the most powerful woman in the world”.

Posted on 10/18/15 | 10:06 AM CET

Max

She is insane !
So first she invited a million refugees on behalf of the whole of Europe and now she’s inviting 75 million Turks again without asking anyone else. Clearly the she thinks she’s the Emperor of a new German empire and democracy has flown out of the window.

Miroslav Krzak

The warfare theory and practice are still evolving. Some years ago, the USA shew that a state could be beaten by air forces only. Now we can see how the bigest world economy can be be undermined by continuous flow of unarmed civilians. It does not suffice to be the bigest economy if it cannot react swiftly and efficiently on as yet unknown sort of aggression!

Posted on 10/19/15 | 9:34 PM CET

bortu bocek

Turks are ready to donate 6 billion Euro to EU to take 2.5 million refugees from Turkey.